Case Study Reports 4
	An Alternative Energy Project 2004 in North Ward of Ulsan Metropolitan City 　 Kim Deok Ryong, Manager, Local Economy Section, North Ward, Ulsan Metropolitan City, Korea

General Condition of North Ward of Ulsan City

　Before I start talking about the ‘Solar 2004 Project', I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to give a very brief introduction of our district. The district is a recent creation, having been established in July 1997 as part of Ulsan Metropolitan City with a total area of 157km². Geographically it is in the south-east of Korea, sharing a border with Gyeongju. Large-scale construction of industrial complexes and roads has been carried out, and this area is steadily growing into a metropolis. There are 450 public servants working in the district. The population is 135,800 (32,000 households), which is 3% of the total population of the city. The average age of the district residents is the youngest in the country.

　The inland area is largely agricultural, while the area adjacent to Gyeongju in Gang-dong-dong is more industrial: the balance between urban and rural areas has been well maintained. The district is a center of the automobile industry, and contains the industrial complexes of Hyundai Motors and various small-and-middle scale business establishments. It has established a highly advanced and efficient industrial foundation. Promotion of environment-friendly transportation system has been considered, too, including bicycle-only roads for company workers and government employees. The marine environment has also been taken into consideration during development. Plans have been made to create forest parks in Shin Mountain and Muryong Mountain with a total area of 70,000m². Public facilities in the area are powered by using solar energy, thus directly promoting environmental conservation. Through such diverse efforts, we are currently working on the construction of a city which is comfortable to live in. Besides these, in the 10,000m² area around the District Hall, people have access to a public square with a fountain, jogging courses, exercise equipment; 1,000 people per day enjoy using these amenities. Facilities to promote good health, and also art and culture, for neighboring residents have been expanded. In this way, all the staff of the District Hall are working together in coordination to develop the youngest city in the whole country and the most dynamic in its potential in accordance with the district policy, 'in unison, a community of hope'.


Solar Energy Project 2004

　Now I would like to move on to 'Solar 2004 Project' and its related pilot programs. In the background, is the nationwide energy conservation policy of developing and promoting the alternative energy. Environmental buildings and an energy-theme park have been constructed, and new office buildings have clean energy facilities. An environment-friendly geothermal system has been adopted by the social welfare institutions. This helps to create a comfortable environment and to improve social services, but our ultimate target is to promote alternative energies.

　Currently, the 2004 Project is being carried out at the District Hall, at two social welfare institutions, and at a raw garbage recycling facility. The District Hall has had a solar power generator installed on the rooftop. In two social welfare institutions - the Mary Welfare Institute and Taeyong Rehabilitation Center - decisions have been taken to introduce geothermal energy. The raw garbage recycling facility caused a dispute with the local residents. We are, however, making every effort to solve the problem, and are aiming at constructing an environment-friendly facility through dialogue. We will promote the development of this facility, in order to respond to the Korean government's ban on the reclamation of garbage which will become effective in 2005.

　The Solar 2004 Project was authorized in February. 1.3 billion won was allocated to the project, and initially it was intended to build an art and culture facility and a raw garbage recycling facility. Some problems concerning the budget then necessitated a revision of the original plans, and in the end, only projects implemented were those at the District Hall, raw garbage recycling facility and social welfare facilities. The solar panels were taken care of by a supplementary budget. There were some arguments about the Mary Welfare Center's involvement, because it receives financial support from the national government. Nevertheless, in the end, its participation was accepted.

For the installation of the equipment at the District Hall, the experience of suffering damage from Typhoon No. 14 last year was taken into consideration in planning the layout. In November, bidding will take place, followed by the start of construction work. In May or June 2005, the construction will be completed. The total project cost is, at the moment, put at 130 billion won. The saving by energy conservation at the Hall is estimated to be 50 million won (see the table above). This installation is the first ever trial in the city, too, and only the 4th attempt throughout the whole country. We have been through a lot of problems, but the determination of the District Mayor and the efforts of the staff have brought the project forward. The shape of the Hall exterior was decided so as to optimize efficient power generation, while the aesthetic effect was taken into account (see the illustration).

　For the test projects carried out at the social welfare institutions - installation of the air-conditioners and geothermally powered hot water systems-1.5 billion won were injected, and they will be completed around next May. (See the table below for details.) Although we have had a number of sessions for communicating with the residents over the construction of the raw garbage recycling facility, we have not gained any definitive solutions yet. We continue to seek for a peaceful solution while focusing on dialogue and creating a new consultation process. The plan includes installing solar panels on its rooftop, and using solar power for a car park and a park. The tentative project cost is 650 million won.

Future Plans

　This Project has just begun. Strengthened by the cooperation we have received, we hope to continue our work and bring it to successful conclusion. After completing the installations at the public facilities and social welfare facilities, we would, in particular, like to extend the benefits of these initiatives to the neighboring houses and company buildings. After 2005, there are currently plans to create a 'solar town' and geothermal generation system, with a budget of 2.5 billion won. We hope that our project will be helpful for information exchange and outreach between China, Japan and Korea to prevent global warming and to promote alternative energies.